Time for a Tiara!

Tiara making and Competition

I've been asked to make a Tiara - always up for a challenge! I was lucky enough to go to a Tiara making class where I picked up lots of useful tips and know-how! This course was at the wonderful London Jewellery School and is also a great idea if you are a bride and thinking of designing your own Tiara. Alas too late for me! I will have to be content with making for others!

I went for quite a random look for the Tiara I produced on the day - I guessed that this would be a bit more forgiving where mistakes occur! You can see the result in the picture above.

The great thing about this course is that you learn to make everything yourself including the Tiara Band and every component. We also made a selection of other hair accessories using pins and combs.

Now I am ready to get on with the commissioned Tiara - so I'm off to the land of Swarovski....

Christmas is coming as you all know. Please visit Misi (Make It Sell It) to buy your handmade gifts!

This is a Crochet bracelet - a commissioned piece. If you don't see something in my shop I am alway happy to make something just for you! (As long as you don't want it by tomorrow!). That goes for most other sellers as well - always up for a challenge!

Thanks to Baggy T's for producing my Jolicious Jewellery bags!

Giveaway!

1st Prize: A Jolicious Jewellery Bag (as shown above) and a Snowflake Charm

2nd Prize:

A Christmas Tree Charm

All you need to do to enter is leave a comment below and I will put your name in the hat. Competition closes on Sunday 29th December 2009.

Til next time! Bye!

Playing with Polymer Clay

I recently went on a Polymer Clay course at The London Jewellery School and received some expert tuition from Polymer Clay Artist Debbie Carlton.

Debbie gave us an introduction to this versatile material along with many different techniques! What a wonderful material! It has so many possibilities and can be combined with other materials such as Silver.

Here are a few examples of what I produced on the day

This Pendant was a lesson in making texture. I also had a fiddle with the metallic powders which I applied to this Leaf Pendant

Metal leaf can be applied to Polymer Clay too as I have applied to the flower below.

Image transfer was so simple - The leaf image on the heart below came from a photocopy!

More experimenting with the metallic powders, cutting and stamping in these small Pendants

Polymer clay is great for bead making and we were taught how to produce our own beads from the conditioning of the clay all the way through to finishing and polishing the final piece. We played with making different shapes and learnt how to make 'canes' which produce the intricate patterns on beads.

But the really great thing about Polymer Clay is it's really hard to mess up! If you go wrong you just roll it up and start again!

Hot Head Adventure!

I thought that some of you would like to see the results of my Lampwork Bead session with Beverley Hicklin at the London Jewellery School recently. So here goes!!

I really enjoyed the day and I am now the proud owner of a brand new Hot Head Torch! All I need is some time and space when the kids start school on Wednesday to get stuck into my latest venture!

Here of my personal favourites

I will be having a clearout in my Misi Shop soon and restocking with some new creations for the Autumn so I will keep everyone updated with that. It'll soon be Christmas!

All the nice shop Sellers at Misi have clubbed together to create an amazing Autumn Giveaway. If you'd like to enter please visit the Misi Blog and you might be the lucky winner of all the goodies below! There is also a second prize on offer.

More Crochet with Wire and PMC!

I had another great Class with Teri Howes at Cockpit Arts who took the group to the next level in Wire Crochet! Now I can do Circles - not as neat as Teri's but she is an expert!!

It's quite difficult to recognise what is a stitch and what is not! I guess it all takes practice and lots of it. Still - I managed to finish the piece before the day ended!

I also had a PMC (Precious Metal Clay) session at the London Jewellery School. I learnt a lot on the day about adding texture, setting stones and how to make a ring. My favourite pieces I produced on the day are a couple of Pendants.

I reserve the right not to show you the ring!!!!

Finally, there is a really exciting thing happening in the world of MISI (Make It Sell It). Emma Hogg the brains behind Misi has organised the first ever Misi Craft Event, MISI MAKERS, to take place in Bristol this November. It is open exclusively to Misi sellers and will be a great showcase for all Misi Talent!